Lower Drug Costs, More Cures

Health care spending per capita has exponentially increased over the past several years, putting a significant strain on the wallets of millions of American families. That's why one of my top priorities is to reduce the cost of health care, while expanding access and putting power back into the hands of patients. In an effort to reduce the price of prescription drugs, numerous bills have circulated throughout Congress this year.

On September 19, 2019, Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ) introduced H.R. 3, the so-called Lower Drug Costs Now Act. This bill would make America more like a European country when it comes to drug pricing, and it does so at a high cost. The Congressional Budget Office reported that at least 15 fewer cures would be created under H.R. 3, and the Council of Economic Advisors estimated that up to 100 cures would be thwarted due to H.R. 3. These alarming projections would result from this bill reducing incentives for entrepreneurs to introduce new drugs to the market. That means that this bill could stop us from getting access to new treatments and potential cures for diseases like Alzheimer's, Cancer or Ebola. Another alarming example of dysfunction from European-style markets is the amount of treatments available. Of the active drugs introduced between 2011-2018, 89 percent are available to Americans, compared to 60 percent in the UK and less than half in Canada and France.

Under direction from Nancy Pelosi, H.R. 3 passed the House on Thursday in partisan fashion. Thankfully, it is unlikely that H.R. 3 will pass the Senate and President Trump has indicated that he would veto this harmful legislation.

What we need is a bill that takes bipartisan solutions that will help lower the cost of drugs, while maintaining the American spirit of encouraging innovation. That is why I am an original cosponsor of H.R. 19, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act. This bill contains provisions that have been supported by both Republicans and Democrats, creating a plan that will both make drugs more affordable and help save lives by ensuring we don't lose future cures due to government overreach. If H.R. 19 were to pass the House, it is likely that it would pass the Senate and be signed into law by President Trump.

Unfortunately for you and your loved ones, Nancy Pelosi has chosen to move forward with the Democrats' bill that she knows will not be passed in the Senate. So, instead of putting politics aside for the good of the American people, she has chosen to play games with your health and well-being for political gain.

To view my comments on H.R. 3 and H.R. 19 from the House floor, please click here or on the picture below.

"Voting Rights" Bill

Recently, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi brought H.R. 4 to the House floor, which passed with a nearly party-line vote. The so-called Voting Rights Advancement Act is another example of a cleverly-named bill that sounds nice, but whose goal is to strip states of their right to administer their own elections and whose consequences will result in further incentives to commit voter fraud.

Wisconsin law currently requires one form of government-issued identification, including a driver’s license, student I.D. and six others, to let election administrators know that the person seeking to cast a vote is indeed a resident of the state and voting in the correct election. Congressional, state Senate, state Assembly and Mayoral districts (among others) all have different constituencies depending on where district lines are drawn. “Voter I.D.” laws not only protect the integrity of our elections, but allow poll workers, who often volunteer for their position, to ensure that when somebody votes, they are voting in the correct election.

It is shocking that the little time Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats have between impeachment hearings has been allocated to passing a bill that will strip away states’ rights to administer their own elections. The so-called Voting Rights Advancement Act is nothing more than a federal government takeover of elections, taking power away from citizens and states and instead giving it to politicians and bureaucrats. It was disappointing to see every Democrat vote for this bill.

Furthermore, this bill goes against the will of Wisconsinites by overturning state photo I.D. laws. When I speak with poll workers and town clerks around Wisconsin, I get an overwhelmingly positive response on our state’s photo I.D. laws. These laws are intended to protect the integrity of our elections by ensuring votes are cast properly and in the correct elections. Photo I.D. laws are not unique to Wisconsin or America. Mexico, Germany, France, Israel, among others, all require identification in order to vote. Why is it that other countries realize this important piece in maintaining election integrity while some of my colleagues do not?

Combating Anti-Semitism

This week, anti-Semitism was on display with a shooting inside a Jewish supermarket in New Jersey. Regrettably, six people passed away. The media does not often publicize anti-Semitism, but it takes place in America and is rampant throughout the world.

That is why I was glad that President Donald Trump took charge in combating harmful anti-Semitism with an executive order this week. The executive order extends the protections of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, prohibiting universities from discriminating on the basis of race, color and national origin, to include students who are Jewish.

This is something that I have been pushing in the House, too. I am a cosponsor of H.R. 4009, the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act, which would have accomplished the same goals as President Trump's executive order. Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi chose not to bring this bill to the floor for a vote. That is why we are fortunate to have a President who will deliver wins for Americans when Congress fails to act.

Weekly Roundup

My staffers Sadie, Alex and Kayla sent me this picture. They volunteered with the Aktion Club at
Brooke Industries in Fond du Lac decorating Christmas cookies. Way to go!

I recently toured Beaver Dam High School, where I saw their great facilities and classrooms and met with their top-notch teachers and students.

It's fair to say that the craft fair in Columbus was a great event for the holiday season.

My Washington office is getting in the Christmas spirit. If you are in D.C., please stop by!

Contact Me

As your Congressman, I’m here to serve you. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to my offices in Fond du Lac and Washington. If you enjoyed this newsletter be sure to forward it to your family and friends so they can stay informed on what I’m doing in Washington and the Sixth District.

You can also stay up-to-the-minute by following me on Facebook (Congressman Glenn Grothman), Twitter (@RepGrothman) and Instagram (@RepGlennGrothman).

Sincerely,

Member of Congress